On September 1, Harbinger Records will release a rare recording of an original backer’s audition for Barnum, the 1980 Broadway musical about American showman P.T. Barnum that co-starred Jim Dale and Glenn Close.
Featuring music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Michael Stewart, and a book by Mark Bramble, Barnum became a Broadway hit, running for more than 900 performances at the St. James Theatre. A London production opened in 1981 with Michael Crawford in the starring role. (His performance was later preserved in a live taping of the show’s U.K. tour.)
The 15-track Barnum Backers’ Audition includes several songs that were cut from the score prior Broadway, including “Now You See It, Now You Don’t” (released here for the first time), as well as “At Least I Tried,” which was included as a bonus track on a 2002 re-issue of the original Broadway cast album.
The album includes introductions from Coleman and Stewart, who then perform material from the musical for a group of potential Broadway investors at private home on New York City’s East Side. Album liner notes are provided by Andy Probst.
The track listing follows:
1. “Introduction” - Coleman & Stewart
2. “Come Follow The Band”
3. “There Is A Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute”
4. “The Colors Of My Life”
5. “Now You See It, Now You Don't”
6. “One Brick At A Time”
7. “I Like Your Style”
8. “Bigger Isn't Better”
9. “Love Makes Such Fools Of Us All”
10. “Out There”
11. “At Least I Tried”
12. “The Prince Of Humbug”
13. “Black and White”
14. “Join the Circus”
15. “Finale”
The recording is released as part of Harbinger’s “Songwriter Showcase Series.”
